Teacher educators have acknowledged the importance of preservice teachers' biographies but remained largely inarticulate about how shared knowledge of personal histories helps shape preservice teachers' thinking and ultimate practice. This document provides a detailed description of how preservice teachers use their personal histories to generate…

Indian country presents even the most seasoned and careful researcher with numerous methodological issues. Two of the most salient of these are appropriate understanding of postcolonial stress in tribal communities, and the use of participatory action research methods and models in a culturally sensitive manner. This paper explains postcolonial…

A combined outreach and research initiative addressed the participation of Native American business owners in electronic commerce. E-commerce can provide many benefits to producers and consumers but does not ensure unmitigated economic success. It is only one part of a development process leading to achievement of tribes' broader social goals,…

Maori and other indigenous peoples are concerned about the power and control that non-indigenous people hold over research. Research issues such as initiation, benefits, representation, legitimation, and accountability have usually been determined by the researcher's interests and agenda. One means of addressing indigenous peoples' desire for…

This paper documents work undertaken by a bicultural research group at the New Zealand Special Education Service, Poutama Pounamu Education Research Centre. The research group develops and evaluates learning resources for parents and teachers of Maori students. Two projects are described. Tatari Tautoko Tauawhi (Pause Prompt Praise) assists parent…

This theme issue of a newsletter for adult literacy practitioners focuses on community development. Nine articles on this topic include the following: "Adult Literacy and Community Development" (Hal Beder); "Why Community Development?" (Kirk Baker); "Freire's Revolution" (Ruth Pelz); "Impacting Communities…

The demographics of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic have changed from impacting affluent white gay men to impacting the poor, people of color, the young, and women. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) disproportionately affect these same populations. One approach that stresses the inclusion of the voices of marginalized…

This paper discusses findings from an evaluation of the effectiveness of a pre-referral intervention program that was being implemented in seven school districts in the Southern Tier of New York. The initiative is known as 7 SHARE, which stands for 7 districts supporting and helping to affect regional education. The paper explores the methods used…

A profile of an effective teacher of Aboriginal Australian students was constructed based on research on the teaching of Aboriginal students. Using the profile as a framework, this paper reports on an ethnographic study of an effective teacher in action with Aboriginal students. The study consisted of semi-participative observation of a teacher of…

The Purga Elders Centre in Queensland (Australia) is an Aboriginal-owned meeting place where Aboriginal culture and history are lived and passed on. Research conducted there is based on Indigenous Knowledge Research (IKR), which is grounded in Indigenous realities and approaches knowledge only through respect for Indigenous epistemologies. Twenty…

Socially critical action research in education can be defined as being strategic and critical pedagogic action on the part of classroom teachers aimed at increasing social justice. Five characteristics of socially critical action research are examined: participation, direction, consciousness, constraints, and outcomes. (IAH)

A former editor of this journal, 1972-74, selects an outstanding article from his tenure that highlighted the severe drop-out rate among Indian children in Canada. This unique study featured interviews with nine Native families without use of tape recorders, content analysis of interview data, and involvement of the families in data analysis and…

Suggests that ethical problems in research involving contact with children can be overcome by using a participatory approach. Describes a study conducted in England and Wales that explored what part children are playing in decisions since implementation of the Children Act 1989 and what the participants think of the process. (LPP)

Globalization pushes aside social, cultural, and ethical goals of education in favor of marketplace goals. Two stories of the indigenous Ju/'hoansi tribe in Botswana illustrate how even well-intentioned multicultural education programs can marginalize indigenous people, and how "globalization from below," fueled by communities of…

Holistic educational research looks beyond test scores as a measure of student development and considers broader perspectives, such as quality of life and community interactions. Approaches to making research more understandable, accessible, and practical at a grassroots level include qualitative research, informal research, participatory research…